1. Overview of animal feed:

Animal feeds are feed products that livestock  (terrestrial and aquatic animals) are fed, drank, or added to the environment for aquatic animals to maintain growth, development, and production. Animal feed can be in the form of fresh, pre-processed, processed and preserved food, nutritional food, or functional food

2. Purpose of testing animal feed – aqua feed:

The livestock industry is a key economic sector of Vietnam. The control of animal feed should be strict, and meet the quality conditions before feeding the animals. At the same time, the testing of animal feed also contributes to promoting the development of the domestic livestock industry and increasing the quality of livestock products exported to foreign countries.

3. Current regulations on animal feed testing:

• QCVN 01-183:2016/BNNPTNT: Regulations on maximum allowable limits for the content of mycotoxins, heavy metals, and microorganisms in mixed feeds for livestock and poultry.
• QCVN 01 – 190: 2020/BNNPTNT: National technical regulation on animal feed – hygiene and safety criteria and maximum allowable limits in animal feed.
• QCVN 01-39:2011/BNNPTNT: National technical regulation on water hygiene for animal husbandry.
• Circular No. 21/2019/TT-BNNPTNT: quality criteria for animal feed must be announced in the applicable published standards.
  • List of test targets:

Group of physical-sensory indicators:

• Sensory: color, state, taste.
• Refractive index, pH, density, specific polar rotation.
• Acid number, peroxide number.
• Moisture, loss of mass on drying.

Group of quality indicators:

• Massive ingredients:
• Protein (protein)
• Lipids (fat)
• Carbohydrates (glucid)
• Ash
• Determination of the main active ingredient content:
• Amino acid composition (21 active ingredients).
• Vitamins group A, B, C, D, E, K.
• Enzymes, digestive fibers… help stimulate and support the digestion of pets.
• Some types of additives: colorants, micro-minerals, etc.

Group of safety criteria:

• Heavy metal content: Pb, Cd, As, Hg (inorganic and organic)
• Analysis of mycotoxins – mycotoxins (Aflatoxin BG, Ochratoxin A, …)
• Analysis of pesticide residues.
• Analysis to determine the limit of microbiological contamination (total number of aerobic microorganisms, Coliforms, E.coli, Salmonella, Total yeast – mold,…)
• Analysis of antibiotic residues (Enrofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Auramine O, …)
• Analysis of growth hormone residues and veterinary drugs (Beta Agonist, Testosterone, Progesterone, Macrolide and Lincosamide,…).
  • Analytical background:

TSL provides feed testing services of all sample subjects:

• Ingredients, premix
• Concentrated food
• Complete mix feed
• Complementary food
• Mixed food.
  • Analytical device:
• In order to promptly meet the needs of customers and improve the quality of animal and aqua feed testing activities, TSL has equipped with modern and synchronous analytical equipment:
• The equipment measures physical parameters: pH, refractive index …
• Molecular absorption spectrophotometer (UV-Vis).
• Liquid chromatography system with probes (HPLC/DAD/FLD, UPLC/DAD/FLD/RID) and liquid chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (LC/MSMS).
• Gas chromatography systems (GC/FID/ECD) and gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (GC/MSMS).
• Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) system.
• Atomic emission spectrometer system (ICP – OES) and ICP – MS system.
  • Analytical method:

All analytical procedures used to test animal feed – aqua feed at TSL refer to the standard methods of Vietnam and general standards in the world such as TCVN, QCVN, AOAC, ISO, JECFA,…  and all these processes are surveyed and validated in accordance with ISO 17025.

All methods are tested to assess staff skills, participate in inter-departmental comparisons and implement domestic and international PT programs.

The majority of analytical methods are accredited to ISO 17025 by AOSC.

In addition, TSL is also appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture – Department of Livestock Production and the Directorate of Fisheries to perform testing for state management in the certificates: 349/QD-CN-TATCN, 29/QD-CN-TÁCN, and 133/QD-TCTS-KHCN&HTQT.